Car show today to benefit Allenstown Historical Society

ALLENSTOWN — For the fourth year in a row, the Allenstown Historical Society will host an antique and classic car show to benefit its many community-oriented projects, and organizers expect more than 100 entrants this year.

Gates open to show vehicles at 8 a.m. today and the car show runs from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Old Allenstown Meeting House at 150 Deerfield Road. The entrance fee is $10 per vehicle, and spectators are free. Judging begins at noon, and trophies will be awarded in 15 categories at 2 p.m. More than $2,500 in prizes are scheduled to be handed out through hourly drawings running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event also includes a 50/50 raffle.

“The weather is supposed to be outstanding, so we’re expecting well over 100 cars,” said Armand Verville, president of the Allenstown Historical Society. “The Seek-and-See Museum and the Snowmobile Museum will also be open to the public, and the Old Meetinghouse will be as well, so this is really much more than just a car show.”

The Allenstown Firefighter’s Association will provide coffee and doughnuts in the morning and will grill up hot dogs, hamburgers and other barbecue food in the afternoon.

But the primary focus of the event is to raise money to preserve and promote history in town, said Verville.“We do a lot with school children, and adults as well, teaching them about our local history,” he said. “All the proceeds from (the car show) go toward our historical teachings and projects.”

The first two years the all-volunteer event benefited the restoration of the Old Allenstown Meeting House, and the third show capped the restoration effort and contributed to other projects as well, said Verville. This year, he said all the proceeds are designated to go toward the refurbishing of Allenstown’s old cemeteries, repairing tombs, and maintaing the grounds, AHS’s annual History Day for school kids and upkeep of other historical properties throughout town.